Indian Council of World Affairs

ICWA and Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), New Delhi co-hosted the first India-Republic of Korea 2+2 Dialogue on 27 October 2021 with the Korean National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA) and Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP) of the Republic of Korea on the theme "Reimagining India- Korea Relations in the Emerging Regional Order: Synergising the 'Act East Policy' and the 'New Southern Policy" Discussions were held under three technical sessions- India-Korea Relations in a Changing Global and Regional Context: Strategic Perspectives, Re-contextualising India-Korea Economic Partnership in the Post-COVID International Economic Order, and Way Forward: India-Korea Bilateral Relation.

Speakers included Amb. Vijay Thakur Singh, Director General, ICWA, Prof. Sachin Chaturvedi, Director General, RIS, Amb. Sripriya Ranganathan, Indian Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Dr. Hong Hyunik, Chancellor, KNDA, Dr. Kim, Heungchong, President, KIEP, Amb. Chang Jae-bok, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India, Amb. Nalin Surie, Distinguished Fellow, Delhi Policy Group, Amb. Skand Tayal, Former Indian Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Prof. S.K. Mohanty, Professor, RIS, among other scholars and policymakers from India and Korea.

During the dialogue, the participants observed that the bilateral relations between India and ROK, rooted in historical linkages and cultural affinity and based on the shared values of democracy and market economy, have gone from strength to strength in the past two decades. The Special Strategic Partnership signed between the two countries in 2015 and convergence of interests and complementarities between India's Act East Policy and Korea's New Southern Policy (now upgraded to New Southern Policy Plus) provides new opportunities to strengthen bilateral ties. A strong personal bond between leaders of the two countries and growing historical and cultural linkages were highlighted as important factors driving bilateral relations.

Participants observed that the health and economic crisis caused by the COVID- 19 pandemic and the accelerating geopolitical fault lines have brought about a new context for India-Korea relations. Post-pandemic developments have created new bilateral cooperation opportunities as the two countries are prioritising their national development policy - India through its AtmaNirbhar Bharat initiative and Korea through its New Deal policy. Emphasising that the strategic partnership between the two countries is a work in progress, the participants observed that there is more work to be done to exploit the full potential of this relationship.

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